Black Bean Brownies

Later tonight I am off to Long Island for July 4th and the long weekend. I am so excited to get away, even if just for a few days, with my friends. About half of my college friends are from Long Island and I haven’t seen them in far too long. Its a longish drive so of course I got snacks. My staple car snack are gummy worms/bears/dinosaurs/whatever looks good in the bulk section at the time. I also picked up white cheddar popcorn and chocolate covered pomegranates. I knew I had to bake something too, but wasn’t quite sure what to make. When I drove to Florida last August I brought along Salted White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. The only problem was by the time we got there, we had half a bag full of cookie crumbs. My mom suggested that I make black bean brownies. They first time she had then, my cousin flew with them to Florida, so we knew they traveled well. Also, this is probably the easier recipe ever.

All packed and ready to go!

The process does look a little gross, so bare with me. You won’t be disappointed. First, get a can of black beans. Rinse the beans and the can. Put the rinsed beans back into the can and fill with water. In a blender or food processor, puree the beans and water. (I know, it doesn’t sound that appetizing.)

In case you weren’t already grossed out.

When picking out a brownie mix, you want to buy one that’s good quality. The better the brownie mix, the better the brownies. I definitely recommend spending the few extra dollars to get a quality boxed mix. I used Ghirardelli.

Next, combine the brownie mix with the bean puree.

Pour into a greased baking dish and bake according to the package’s directions.

Every time I’ve made these they come out shiny and super thick. I packed this batch away for the car ride but I cannot wait to eat them!

Ingredients:

One can black beans

One box brownie mix (good quality!)

Directions:

Preheat oven according to box’s directions. Rinse black beans and can. Return beans to can and fill with water. Puree black beans and water in blender or food processor. Combine puree with brownie mix. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake according to box’s directions. Eat brownies. (Yes, its that easy!)